Clear Cut Magazine

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Support Clear Cut—the only magazine focused solely on social issues—to keep independent, data-driven journalism alive.

The Rise of ESG and Its Influence on India’s Development Sector

India’s growing ESG regulations are transforming how NGOs and development organisations access CSR funding, pushing them toward stronger impact measurement and compliance systems. While ESG creates new opportunities for collaboration and blended finance, smaller grassroots organisations risk being excluded due to limited compliance capacity. The Proposal She had to Rewrite Three Times Deepika Nair has…

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Digital Democracy in India: Does Online Outrage Actually Change Anything? 

India’s digital activism has occasionally influenced political accountability, as seen in M.J. Akbar’s resignation during the #MeToo movement, but most online outrage fails to create lasting policy change. The article argues that India needs stronger digital accountability laws and institutional mechanisms to turn viral public pressure into meaningful democratic reform. The Hashtag that did cost…

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India’s New Eyes in the Field: What the NITI Aayog CPO Portal Must Deliver

NITI Aayog’s newly launched CPO Portal aims to improve real-time coordination between field officers, districts, and ministries. While the platform could reduce bureaucratic delays, its success will ultimately depend on accountability and institutional follow-through. When field reports arrive too late  Earlier this year, a District Magistrate in Khunti, Jharkhand — one of the districts covered under…

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CSR Technology and The Role of AI

Artificial intelligence and skills-based volunteering are transforming CSR by improving impact tracking, ESG reporting, and corporate engagement, but they also raise serious concerns around bias, unequal funding, and nonprofit autonomy. The future of CSR will depend on whether companies prioritize ethical oversight and genuinely nonprofit-led collaboration. What’s Changing in CSR’s Technology Stack A close look…

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The Plastic Treaty Is Failing in Real Time. The Industry Wrote That Into the Negotiating Text.

The global plastics treaty is at risk of becoming a waste management agreement that ignores the root cause: rising plastic production. Without binding caps, pollution will continue to grow despite improved recycling efforts. What Was Promised and What Is Happening In March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi agreed to negotiate a legally binding…

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A Hundred Founders and Fifty Million Without One

The 2026 ECOSOC Financing for Development Forum highlighted the growing $4 trillion SDG financing gap but failed to secure real financial commitments. Despite urgent discussions, the outcome remained largely symbolic, with little impact on closing the gap. What Actually Happened The ECOSOC Financing for Development Forum wrapped up in New York this week, and honestly,…

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Devex and A New Standard

Traditional aid is rapidly declining as global funding gaps widen, leaving developing countries like Bangladesh with fewer resources just as their financial needs grow. Emerging solutions like pooled funding and local capital remain promising but are still far from filling the gap. The Sentence That Changed the Register On April 17, 2026, Devex, the industry…

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WAR ECONOMY AND THE CHANGING PARADIGM OF DEVELOPMENT

Defence spending and military capacity are increasingly shaping economic production, innovation, and global power, challenging traditional economic theory. The article explores how security has become a key factor influencing development, while also raising concerns about its trade-offs with social investment. Traditional economic theory explains production through the interaction of land, labour, capital, and organization or…

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Mountains Beyond Mountains

Mountains Beyond Mountains tells the inspiring story of Dr. Paul Farmer, who dedicates his life to providing healthcare to poor communities and fighting diseases like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. The book highlights how poverty and living conditions deeply affect health, and argues that quality healthcare is a basic right for everyone. “Mountains Beyond Mountains” by Tracy…

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